Carpet-stretcher.



PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

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No. 857.777. V PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907. v. 0. WHITE.

GARPBT'STRETGHER.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1906. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

rs DO of the claw engaging with the rack.

VICTOR 0. WHITE, OF MEMPHIS,

PATENT OFFICE.

MISSOURI.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed September 12, 1906. Serial No. 334,329.

To LLZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIoToR 0. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at cmphis, in the county of Scotland and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved stretching device for use in the laying of carpets and consists essentially of a fulcrum bar adapted to extend across the carpet and provided at one end with a shoe forv engaging with one edge of the carpet while a peculiarly constructed operating lever is fulcrumed upon the opposite end of the bar and provided with means for engaging with the opposite edge of the carpet.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can be adjusted so as to be employed in connection with various sizes of carpets and which is at the same time extremely simple in construction and operation.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the device; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved carpet stretcher. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the inner ends of the two sections of the fulcrum bar and of the sleeve provided with the locking arm. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the portion of the fulcrum bar having the rack thereon analso 1g. 6 is a sectional view through an edge of the carpet.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the fulcrum bar which extends across the carpet and which is formed of two sections 2 and 3 which are loosely connected so that the length of the fulcrum bar can be varied as required. The inner end of each of the sections 2 and 3 is formed with a ring 4 through which the opposite section slides and corresponding edges of the two sections are provided with notches or cut-away portions 5. A sleeve 6 fits loosely over the overlapping portions of the I carpet.

two sections 2 and 3 and has an arm 7 pivotally connected thereto, the said arm having a lateral bar 8 at the end thereof which is adapted to enter any pair of registering notches 5 and thus lock the sections 2 and 3 in a rigid position with relation to each other. with this construction, it will be apparent that by a suitable arrangement of the notches, a fine adjustment can be obtained. A shoe 9 is located at the outer end of the section 2 and this shoe carries a series of teeth 10 by means of which a secure engagement is formed with the carpet. The opposite end of the fulcrum bar 1 has the operating lever 1 1 mounted thereon, the upper end of the operating lever comprising the handle 12, while the opposite end is curved outwardly at 13 and provided with the broadened portion 14 constituting a head. This head 14 is formed with a series of teeth 15 corresponding to the teeth 10 upon the shoe 9 and adapted to engage with the carpet in a similar manner.

In order to hold the carpet in a stretched position, a locking arm 16 is employed which is pivotally connected to the operating lever 11 and is adapted to engage with the fulcrum bar 1. For this latter purpose, the free end of the locking arm 16 is in the nature of a claw 17 which fits over the fulcrum bar and is adapted to engage with the rack 18 formed tliereon,tl1e teeth of the rack being preferably so shaped that the claw will slip readily thereover when the carpet is being stretched,

but will revent any backward movement of the han le 12.

While this stretching device may be employed for the laying of any carpet, it is preferable that the edges of the carpet 19 be provided with binding strips similar to those shown .at 20, the said binding strips having perforations 21 therein by means of which they are detachably connected to the tacks 22 which are permanently placed in position upon the floor. These binding strips may be formed of light sheet materia or of any heavy flexible fabric, such as canvas, and are shown as secured to the carpet by means of the members 23 formed in connection with the strip and passing through the The tacks 22 are shown as provided with a head having a reduced portion 24 which is adapted to engage with the perforations 21 in the binding strips in order to prevent the latter from becoming accidentally disengaged from the tacks.

In the operation of the carpet stretcher,

the two sections 2 and 3 of the fulcrum bar are moved upon each other until the required length is obtained and the sleeve 6 1s then slipped into such a position that the lateral bar 8 can enter a pair of notches 5 and lock the two sections of the fulcrum bar rigidly iii position with relation to each other. The shoe 9 is then placed in engagement with the carpet 19 near one edge thereof and the head 14 of the operating lever caused to engage with the carpet near the opposite edge. By pushing the handle 12 inwardly, the head 14 and shoe 9 are then forced apart so as to stretch the carpet and the claw 17 engages at the same time with rack 18 to hold the carpet in a stretched position until the perforations 2 1 in the binding strips shall have been placed over the heads of the tacks 22.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A carpet stretching device, comprising a fulcrum bar constructed in sections adapted to have their ends overlapped and adjustable lengthwise with respect to each other, said ends being formed with notches, a sleeve designed to encircle said overlapped ends and loosely slidable thereon, an arm connected to said sleeve and provided with a lateral bar ada ted to enter registering notches of the said overlapped ends, one of said sections of the fulcrum bar being provided with a head arranged for engagement with the carpet and a lever fulcrumed on the other section and also provided with a head designed for engagement with the carpet.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fulcrum bar formed in two sections, the inner end of each section being provided with a ring through which the opposite section slides and corresponding edges of the two sections being formed with notches, a sleeve slipped over the fulcrum. bar, an arm loosely connected to the sleeve and provided with a lateral bar adapted to enter any registering pair of notches to lock the two sections of the fulcrum bar in a fixed position with relation to each other, a shoe at one end of the fulcrum bar provided with means for engaging with the carpet, an operating lever fulcrumed upon the opposite end of the fulcrum bar and provided with means for engaging with the carpet, and means for locking the lever to hold the carpet in a stretched position.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fulcrum bar formed in two sections, the inner end of each section being provided with a ring through which the opposite section slides and corresponding edges of the two sections being provided with notches, a sleeve slipped over the fulcrum bar, an arm pivotally connected to the sleeve and provided with a lateral bar adapted to enter any pair of registering notches and lock the two sections of the fulcrum bar in a fixed position with relation to each other, a shoe located at one end of the fulcrum bar and provided with a series of teeth for engaging with the carpet, a leverfulcrumed upon the opposite end of the fulcrum bar, one end of the lever forming a handle while the opposite end is curved outwardly, a head formed in connection with the outwardly curved end of the lever and provided with a series of teeth for engagement with a carpet, and a locking arm pivotally connected to the handle and having a claw formed at the free end thereof which fits over the fulcrum bar and engages with a rack thereon to hold the carpet in a stretched position In testimony whereof I alliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR O. VVI'IITE.

WVitnesses ETHEL \VHITE, h/IARY E. MILLER. 

